One cold Morning
by HiddenStorys
Summary: She continued her routined path over the bridge, her feet tapping lightly against the cobbles. She absently swayed along the music, when suddenly she saw a figure leaning dangerously close to the railing, spotted under a dim streetlamp. Sparia AU (dark/suicidal thoughts)


So this idea popped into my head and I decided to write it down.

Just to warn you: story deals with suicidal thoughts!

Enjoy.

...

There was a breeze of summer wind blowing through the early morning hours. If you listened carefully enough, you could hear the soft wind whisper into the darkness. The sun wouldn't be up for another hour at least, and the streets wouldn't fill up with life until even longer. It was this darkness that had something beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

The brown haired girl's feet carried her over the pavement as she jogged along the empty town, her long pony tail swaying from side to side. Her friends and family could never understand why she would enjoy running at half past four in the morning, but most times it was her favorite part of the day. The calm, that the city lay in, surrounded her like a soft blanket and combined with the fast movements of her feet, it was just what she needed to balance out the stressful life she chose to live. She loved her job as one of the town's best lawyers and she wouldn't trade the thrilling challenges for anything else, but she needed those private moments to relax and shut off her overworking brain.

Rosewood wasn't the most exciting or beautiful town - Spencer would gladly agree with you on that - but somehow plans and dreams had changed and she had stayed. It may have not been the place she had always wished she would end up in, but for now being successful in her job made her happy, and she had learned the hard way that happiness was not something to take for granted in a world like this.

As she ran along the brick lane houses, music guiding her the rhythm of her pace, she let her mind wander to her childhood days. She and her friends had spent hours just running around those streets, each place holding another memory. If it wasn't for them, she was certain she would have ended up in Radley Sanitarium for good. It sounded cliché, but these girls had been her rock ever since she was introduced to them in first grade, and despite everything, they were the ones holding her up whenever she felt like she was losing control, whenever she was spiraling into the unknown of chaos too fast. And there was nothing more terrifying to a Hastings than chaos.

It had been both – a blessing and a curse – to grow up in a family that had more money than needed and a reputation too high to maintain. Ever since she could remember, she had learned to work hard and be the best at everything. And she had. She had finished high school on top of her class, had given a valedictorian speech at graduation and had finished an Ivy league law school with honors. But with great achievements came big sacrifices. She had learned that people change over the course of time, and she and her friends and became distant. She wasn't the same girl that dreamt of living on a deserted island with her friends and have ice cream every day. Life just didn't work that way.

As her feet carried her farther to the edge of town, she took a left. The old bridge wasn't a spot that people would normally choose to hang out. The misty lake underneath had something frightened at night, with the waves crashing against the shore in violent strikes and the wind blowing hard against one's skin. When she was younger, her parents had always told her not to cross it alone, especially at night, since there were barely any lights illuminating the place. Maybe that's why she had picked this route as one of her favorites. She continued her routined path over the bridge, her feet tapping lightly against the cobbles. She absently swayed along the music, when suddenly she saw a figure leaning dangerously close to the railing, spotted under a dim streetlamp.

The sight made her stop abruptly and her breaths were rapid and short as she tried to calm herself. She watched from a few yards away, making sure that the other person wouldn't see her. Her mind raced a hundred miles and she paused the music to concentrate on the scene before her, tugging away her headphones. She tried to make out the person's face, but all she could see was a silhouette moving lightly forward and backwards while gripping the railing and looking across the river.

Her brain could only guess what was happening. Working as lawyer, she had heard all the stories. And she would tell you, most of them didn't have a happy ending. She knew that she had to do something, but her feet seemed to be stuck to the floor, unable to move. You would hear her snap at herself later for not having reacted faster, but in that moment she was frozen to the place. She closed her eyes for less than a second, before opening them again and breathing a silent sigh of relief that the person was still there. One second she watched the figure pace at the edge of the bridge, next she saw the figure grip the railing tight, moving their body upwards. It looked like one knee had been already placed onto the wide granite balustrade. Spencer could feel herself panic. Her heart was racing fast, and she could feel herself moving forwards. Now that she was closer, she could make out the silhouette's features. Spencer's eyes widened when she noticed it was a girl, who didn't look much younger than her and the dim light illuminated her small frame. Her long chestnut hair moved with the wind and if it wasn't for the morbid situation, Spencer would have found the sight almost magical. It was then that the girl moved the other leg upwards onto the railing, while her left hand had gripped onto one of the higher balusters of the bridge. Spencer could see the girl shaking as she looked towards the dark sky. Hesitantly, she took another step towards the railing, desperately wanting to stop her.

" _Please, don't."_

Her voice was a whisper laced with fear and the girl froze. When she didn't turn Spencer dared to move closer. She still couldn't see her face, as the stranger was facing the darkness in front of them.

"You don't have to do this.", she tried to reason and she heard the other girl sigh.

"How long have you been there, watching me?", her voice sounded tired and worn out and Spencer felt the overwhelming desire to jerk her down the railing and hug her close.

"I was jogging when I saw you pacing around and - ", Spencer's eyes didn't leave the girl's form as she tried to fumble with her words. She stayed close, being only an arm length away if the girl would step any nearer the edge.

"When your mind is set on something, it's set. There is nothing you can do." The girl's voice had changed, sounding more confident now and Spencer wasn't sure if she was smiling.

"Are you seriously smiling right now?" She didn't care if her tone was harsh, but Spencer couldn't understand how the girl could just stand there on the edge of death, making jokes while Spencer was freaking out.

The girl sighed. "No." She used her arm to hold herself against the baluster, not turning her gaze from the night sky. "Look. Just go. I promise you, I won't jump _now_. Just continue with your run, go on with your life, forget about the girl you saw leaning on the bridge."

Spencer shook her head frantically, her voice still a little shaky, as she looked up to her. "I know, I can't stop you. But I am asking you nicely to come down a second. Just a second."

The girl moved and for a moment Spencer was afraid she was going to have to reach out and grab her by the jacket to jerk her down. She was surprised though when the girl kneeled down and used her hands to steady herself as she climbed down to the walkway. It was then that Spencer noticed how tiny the girl was compared to her tall frame. She wore a yellow summer dress with a brown leather jacket on top, and her small feet were covered by brown boots.

Spencer's breath hitched as the girl finally turned. She was beautiful, and she most certainly didn't look like a girl wanting to kill herself. Her cheeks were covered in a faint blush, and her lips spotted a pinkish color. It was her eyes that gave her soul away. They were glassy and red, probably from crying and Spencer could see the tragedy behind them. Without thinking she reached out to her, grasping the pale hand that was still gripping onto the railing.

"Thank you.", Spencer whispered and she felt her eyes whelm up with tears as well.

"You should go now." The girl's tone was indifferent and cold, and strangely it reminded Spencer of herself. She had never been the kindest person to strangers herself. She had her fair share of friends, an inner circle, but it was hard for her to let new people in, because she was too afraid to get hurt. However, this girl, her thoughts, it was a complete different level. And being the good, wellspoken lawyer she was, she felt like she needed to say something.

"Why would you think that your life is not worth living? Don't you care about your family, about your friends? Don't do this to them."

The girl let out a bitter chuckle. "Do you think I didn't think this through? Believe me, if there was a single tempting thing in my life, I wouldn't be planning to throw myself over that bridge." She shook her head in disbelief. "You don't know me."

Her gaze moved away from Spencer to the storming water beneath them, the flood of the river being dangerously fast and violent.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Brown eyes shone with something Spencer couldn't quite place.

"What's your name?", she asked the brunette, tightening her sports jacket as a cold wind passed them.

"It's not important. It won't be worth to remember anyway." And there was the bitter chuckling again. "Look. Just go. You can't change my mind. If I don't jump today, I will jump tomorrow. There is nothing you can do."

Spencer knew the girl was probably right, but that didn't mean she was going to give up without a fight.

"Okay, then." Spencer agreed, eyeing the small brunette with uncertain eyes.

The girl nodded, giving Spencer a small smile that Spencer interpreted as an unspoken _Goodbye._ She moved herself up again, returning to her former position she stood in only a few minutes ago. Spencer's mind raced, hoping she was doing the right thing.

"Are you sure?"

"I am.", the girl assured, looking straight into the river. "You better go now. You don't need to see this. I will wait. To make sure you're gone."

"O-Okay.", Spencer agreed, and from her spot, she could see how conflicted the girl was.

Without another thought, she gripped onto the railing, moving herself upwards with ease. It was then, as Spencer stood firmly next to the girl, that the girl screamed.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" The girl's hand was again pressed against the baluster, steading herself from the shock of seeing Spencer next to her, glaring at her with anger shining in her eyes. It was the first real emotion Spencer had seen in them.

"If you want to jump, you will have to take me with you.", the taller brunette spoke firmly, grabbing the girl's hand to her left into her own. Spencer could feel the girl's hand shaking, so she laced her fingers with hers, preventing her from moving out of Spencer's grip. "I am not letting go.", she swore and it sounded like a lot more than a simple promise.

"Why do you care?" The girl turned towards her, but Spencer didn't let go and she found herself standing barely an inch away from the brunette. Their rapid breaths were the only thing you could hear through the darkness. The smaller brunette's eyes shone with unshed tears as she looked up to find the answer in Spencer's eyes. Spencer smiled softly, almost hopeful. "I care, because I don't want you to jump. I really, really don't." She tightened her grip on the girl's hand, tracing light circles with her thumb to calm them both down. "Why? I am just a girl with no hope. Nobody cares about a broken soul like mine. There's nothing to fix."

Spencer's heart broke at her words and she didn't hesitate as she brushed away a fallen strand of hair. " You don't have to do this. I promise you, you can get through this. There is a way. There is always a way. You are not alone." As to prove a point she squeezed the girl's hand. "I am here.", Spencer promised, holding onto the hand for dear life. "I am not letting go."

Tears were falling down both of their faces and the girl began to sob quietly.

"I don't think, I want to jump anymore."

Not breaking eye contact, Spencer softly tugged on the girl's hand, moving them down slowly, kneeling on the broad railing carefully, and slipping downwards as she pulled the girl with her to the ground. Breathing out a huge sigh of relief and exhaustion, Spencer looked at the girl next to her and couldn't help but pull her towards her as she leaned her back against the granite railing behind her. Her long arms wrapped around the girl's torso and she felt a head press against her chest in desperation. She could hear the girl's hear wrenching sobs and feel her shake in her arms. Relieved that she had finally gotten a reaction out of the stoic girl, Spencer tried to hold back any new tears as she rubbed the girl's small back reassuringly, whispering words of comfort.

"Aria.", she heard the girl mumble quietly after a while, still not moving out of the embrace, but looking up to briefly meet Spencer's worried gaze.

"My name. It's Aria."

Spencer couldn't help but smile, her eyes starring into hers. "Nice to meet you, _Aria_. I am Spencer."

...

There you go! I planned this as a one shot, but I may continue it in the future, if you think its worth it?  
Leave some words, they are much appreciated!

All the best, and until next time,

m


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